As any fantasy GM who landed James Robinson last season can attest to, the Jaguars did well by signing the Division I-FCS product after the 2020 draft. But the new Jacksonville regime would prefer competition in the backfield going into next season.
Robinson logged 240 carries last season. That total represented a staggering portion of the team’s rushing attempts. In the 14 games Robinson played, no other Jaguar running back logged more than 10 totes. That ratio will almost certainly change in Urban Meyer‘s first season.
“He’s tough. He has a great mindset, the type of player we’re looking. We have to add some explosive to that room as well and we have to be able to take some of the carries off of James,” Jags GM Trent Baalke said. “You can only ride a horse so long.”
Even after Cam Robinson‘s $13.75MM franchise tag, the Jags lead the league in cap space ($73.67MM). They could win a bidding war for any of the free agent backs. As of now, that group would stand to include Aaron Jones, Chris Carson, Kenyan Drake and Marlon Mack. The Broncos also have a decision to make regarding Phillip Lindsay‘s RFA tender.
A pursuit of Jones or Carson may not be in the cards, but the team will be in the mix for a complementary piece — be it in free agency or early in the draft. While Meyer said (via John Oehser of Jaguars.com) he hopes to build around Robinson, the new Jags HC indeed wants more ball-carrying talent on next year’s team.
“He has done a great job. He will continue to do a great job for the organization, and we feel he’ll even take a step forward from where he was a year ago,” Meyer said of Robinson. “But adding some competitiveness to that room … we feel we’ve got some guys in-house that can compete for roles but we’re certainly looking to add to that room as well.”
The Illinois State product rushed for 1,070 yards, which ranked fifth in the league last season. While Robinson is a ways away from the open market, the Jaguars can move to extend him after next season due to his UDFA status. The Jaguars do not have much in the way of depth behind Robinson; would-be contributor Ryquell Armstead‘s NFL return is uncertain after he missed the entire season due to COVID-19.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
